Analog ECO Flow Auto-Marker Process for IC Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing integrated circuit (IC) design process is inefficient and costly due to lengthy and expensive engineering change orders (ECOs), especially when dealing with analog cells, which require significant time and resources for design changes and mask updates, leading to increased fabrication time and costs.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of ECO cells and an analog ECO flow that allows for efficient design changes by strategically placing pre-determined architecture cells throughout the design, enabling updates without complete redesigns, and automating the insertion of ECO cells using an auto-marker process to fill empty spaces and avoid design rule check errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complete redesign is performed to implement design changes, then design correctness and functionality are ensured, but time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The design is segmented into fixed components and reusable ECO cells. The fixed components maintain design correctness while ECO cells provide modifiable functionality. This allows design changes to be made by replacing only the ECO cells rather than redesigning the entire circuit, significantly reducing time while maintaining correctness.
Solution Approach 2:
ECO cells are pre-designed and pre-validated before being inserted into the main design. This preliminary action ensures that when design changes are needed, the ECO cells are ready for immediate deployment, eliminating the need for time-consuming redesign and verification processes during the change implementation phase.
2Adaptability or versatility
If FEOL mask re-manufacturing is performed for design changes, then design updates are achieved, but fabrication cost and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating entirely new masks for design changes, the system uses ECO cells that can be inserted into existing mask layouts. The ECO cells are designed to be compatible with the original FEOL mask structure, allowing design updates to be achieved through cell replacement rather than complete mask re-manufacturing, significantly reducing fabrication cost and time.
3Productivity
If ECO cells are inserted into design, then design change efficiency is improved, but design rule check errors may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated design rule checking (DRC) that provides feedback during the ECO cell insertion process. This feedback mechanism identifies and corrects potential design rule violations before they become problems, ensuring that high-speed ECO cell insertion maintains manufacturing precision and compliance with design rules.
4Adaptability or versatility
If manual ECO cell placement is performed, then design customization is achieved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses automated tools that enable ECO cells to be self-placed and self-configured within the design. The automated placement algorithms automatically determine optimal positions for ECO cells based on design requirements, eliminating the need for manual placement while maintaining design customization. This self-service approach significantly reduces insertion time while preserving adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of designing integrated circuits incorporating an analog ECO flow are provided. An example method comprises receiving an initial design and performing an auto-marker process. The auto-marker process comprises performing a first auto-marker process to surround a first plurality of active cells of the design with first computer-aided design (CAD) layers corresponding to a first plurality of engineering change order (ECO) cells, performing an enhanced auto-marker process to cover irregular shapes of the design with second CAD layers corresponding to a second plurality of ECO cells, and performing a second auto-marker process to fill empty areas of the design with third CAD layers corresponding to a third plurality of ECO cells. The method further includes filling the design with the first plurality of ECO cells, the second plurality of ECO cells, and the third plurality of ECO cells.